What you need to know about - State of Emergency
Continuing Coverage: - Most recent Post at the Top
Signing off for now, Ray editor Pigeon Post News. Richmond
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NELSON TASMAN
AFTERNOON UPDATE - Nelson Tasman Emergency Management
Kia ora koutou,
So good to see blue skies and some of the wonderful sunshine that the region had to offer today.
THE MOST IMPORTANT STUFF
COMMUNITY INFORMATION CENTRE
From tomorrow, Wednesday 24 August, The Community Information Centre will move to the former iSite building at Millers Acre Centre, Nelson.
Insurance Council, EQC and other insurers, MSD, Primary Health, Red Cross and IRD will be present on-site from 8:30am—6:30pm.
ROADING & TRANSPORT
To help relieve congestion on our roads, our friends at Nelson City Council are making the Nelson - Richmond bus routes 1 and 2 FREE OF CHARGE for an initial period of two weeks beginning TOMORROW Wednesday 24 August.
SH6 Rocks Road remains closed. We are expecting an update on this later today. SH6 Bayview to Hira is open to residents only.
Moana Ave remains closed due to a slip. The alternative route goes through Waimea Road and the centre of town.
SH60 Birds Hill will be open to light vehicles ONLY at the following times: 8am-9am, 12pm-1pm, 3pm-4pm and overnight from 6pm-7am, and closed for the remainder of the day until at least Friday 26 August.
Please continue to limit non-essential travel and working from home where possible. If you are travelling, please take care, keep your speed down and allow additional time to reach your destination.
SUPPORTED RE-ENTRY
The supported re-entry process is now underway, with evacuees receiving calls to confirm their property assessment from today.
How it works:
Once your home has been inspected by both Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and Council Building Inspectors, it will be assessed as either a RED, YELLOW, or WHITE placard property.
Red placard properties have been assessed as having significant damage or land stability issues and should not be entered under any circumstances. Red placards will clarify whether the assessment has been made on the basis of the building being at risk of an external hazard, or due to serious building damage.
Yellow placard properties have been assessed and can be entered temporarily; residents may or may not be able to stay overnight, this will be assessed and communicated on a case-by-case basis. Supervised entry by an authorised person may be required for some yellow placard properties. Please speak with Nelson City Council if you have any questions.
White placard properties have been assessed and can be re-occupied with caution. White placard properties may have no placard, or a white dot on or around the entryway.
If residents find damage when they return to their properties or are unsure about what their property assessment means, then please call Nelson City Council on 03 546 0200 or Tasman District Council 03 543 8400.
CLEANING UP
Cleanfill (soil and mud) that was deposited around homes by flooding can be disposed of at two sites: Stoke (corner of Main Road Stoke and Saxton Road – the old Circus set up location) or QEII Reserve (north of the Miyazu Gardens). The Stoke site is for households and can accommodate small trucks and cars with trailers and will be open 8am–6pm.
The site for commercial operators and large vehicles at Vickerman Street (opposite Brusco Nelson) is at capacity will be closed after 6pm today. QEII Reserve will be open to commercial operators from tomorrow. Access is from Atawhai Drive (SH6).
Transfer stations around the region will accept flood-damaged goods for free for a period of two weeks from Monday 22 August 2022. This is for goods that were damaged during the weather event during the week 15 to 21 August and customers will be asked to sign a declaration that the goods were damaged because of the flooding.
Skips are being placed in the Nelson City area in places where the worst flood damage occurred, to allow for the disposal of small household items (i.e. toys, clothes, pots, pans, small appliances etc.).
We are monitoring demand and will place more skips if needed. Please only use these skips to dispose of small flood-damaged goods, it’s not the time to clear out your garage, please think of others in your community that have suffered damage to their homes and need the space.
Additional options are being considered by Civil Defence for the disposal of larger flood-damaged items such as furniture, whiteware, carpets, and rugs, so please keep an eye out for more information.
When out and about cleaning up your belongings or property, please remember to keep your health in the forefront of your mind.
Flood waters, soil, silt and mud can host an array of nasty bugs, especially if floodwaters were contaminated with sewage during the worst of the event. Flood-damaged items left in moist conditions for more than a few days may also be prone to mould which can have negative impacts on your health.
Please remember to wash your hands, especially prior to preparing food or things like babies bottles. We encourage the use of PPE during clean up where possible, including masks and gloves. Please also remember that children and pets don’t have the same understanding of these risks as you may, so additional precaution measures may be advised.
OTHER STUFF
Residents in the Nelson City area should continue to be mindful of water usage, especially at peak times. Nelson’s water supply situation has continued to improve, and Nelson City Council have now taken back supply of water for local residents from our neighbours as Tasman District. We had a minor outage impacting some residents on Nayland Road today that has now been rectified, please note that as a result some residents in Stoke and Monaco are expected to have reduced pressure for the next 24 hours.
There are some boil water notices in place across the wider Tasman Region. Please keep up-to-date with these notices via the local Council website. For those on private supplies, please check your infrastructure and, if you have any doubts about the safety of your supply, take the precautionary approach and boil water before use.
We are aware of a map circulating social media which may be causing some distress amongst evacuated residents in the Port Hills/Moana/Tahunanui area. The map is indicative of the approximate area for the Tahunanui Slump, which is a known hazard area and was highlighted due to risk profile.
Residents and owners of properties in this zone should expect a call from today regarding the assessment for their property. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INDICATIVE ZONE IN THIS IMAGE DOES NOT CONFIRM A RED PLACARD ASSESSMENT.
We are aware that, as some of the mud dries out, areas of the earth are becoming prone to dust. We encourage the use of appropriate PPE (e.g. masks) where possible to help to prevent any potential health impacts that this may cause.
An additional reminder to continue to be kind, check on your neighbours and be patient with each other as we work towards recovery together.
Ngā mihi nui!
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NELSON TASMAN
412K raised for those affected by weather event
We’ve had a really heartwarming response to the Nelson-Tasman Mayoral Relief Fund, which is now open for applications.
*502 donations have been processed so far
*We’ve had one donation of $10k and two of $5k!
*The public have donated $112k
*The government has donated $300k
*Every donation counts--thanks to everyone who has contributed what they can afford.
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TOP OF THE SOUTH
WAKA KOTAHI NZTA
Media Release: 23 August 3.30pm
Nelson to Blenheim Highway links to remain closed - ALSO update on SH6. ROCKS RD / SH 63. Renwick – Saint Arnaud / SH 6. Renwick – Hira / SH 60. Tākaka to Onekaka
The severity of damage to State Highway 6 between Nelson and Blenheim and State Highway 63 through the Wairau Valley means these highways will not reopen before next week.
Mark Owen, Acting National Manager Maintenance and Operations, says the highways must remain closed for safety reasons, and because damage assessment work is still ongoing.
“Teams have been hard at work examining the damage on State Highways 6 and 63 today. The damage is significant, and the information they’ve collected needs to be reviewed and assessed as it is crucial to our plans for fixing and restoring these routes. Contractors are continuing to clear debris and restore access to allow better access to damaged areas. This includes river work in the Wairau Valley to protect State Highway 3 from erosion.”
Mr Owen realises road users and residents want these key transport links open as soon as possible. However, he says the reality is there will be no quick fix and, with assessments still underway, timeframes for reopening can’t yet be given.
“The scale of the damage to highways and local roads is enormous. They can’t be repaired to their previous condition overnight. Getting these roads restored is going to take a lot of time and an immense amount of effort and planning. As our road crews continue this mammoth task, we ask for your patience and understanding.”
Mr Owen says with more rain forecast later this week; the situation could still change quickly.
An update on the status of both these highways will be provided on Monday, 29 August.
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| (Images: Flood damage SH6, Whangamoa Hill and flooding SH63, Wairau Valley.) Supplied NZTA |
The alternative route into Nelson from Blenheim, the West Coast and Canterbury is via the Lewis Pass, State Highway 7, and Murchison, State Highways 65 and 6. People travelling from the West Coast to Blenheim must go via the east coast on State Highway 1.
State Highway 6. Rocks Road, Nelson update:
Every effort is being made to reopen this stretch of road to allow one-way, northbound access to Haven Road. However, it cannot be opened until it is given safety clearance from geotechnical experts. Traffic management is in place to allow a partial reopening as soon as it is safe to do so.
State Highway 63. Renwick – Saint Arnaud update:
Contractors are continuing to work hard to repair this stretch of highway. However, the flooding has caused severe damage with the Branch River Bridge washed out. It will not reopen this week. However, the road closure point will be moved from Renwick to Wairau Valley township this evening. This allows better access to Blenheim for affected residents.
State Highway 6 Renwick – Hira update:
Culverts needed to be cleared to help clear surface water between Renwick to Havelock. This section of State Highway 6 is open to essential services and residents only.
Havelock to Rai Valley remains essential access only. While a pilot road has been pushed through the flood debris from the Rai Valley to Hira, the road is extensively damaged. It is only accessible by contractors, and emergency services under escort.
State Highway 60. Tākaka to Onekaka update:
We are working hard to reopen this road to heavy vehicles, but more time is required to stabilise the embankment to make the road safe. Daytime road closures remain in place. This week, the road will be open to light vehicles only, during the following hours 8 am - 9 am, 12 pm - 1 pm, 3 pm - 4 pm, 6 pm - 7 am. Please note, the road remains closed to heavy vehicles.
Advice to road users:
In Nelson, the closure of local roads and the limited use of State Highway 6 via Rocks Road means congestion will be an ongoing problem. Drivers must factor this into their travel plans, and show patience and consideration for other road users.
Across the wider region, roadworks will be ongoing for some time. Some of this work will result in road closures. When these are planned, we will let people know in advance. We also ask that speed limits be observed, and drivers are prepared for delays.
Most importantly, flood damage is present on most roads across the top of the South Island. It is vital people drive to the conditions and adjust their speed accordingly.
NELSON
Nayland Road - Watermain fixed
Nelmac have repaired the watermain leaks in Nayland Road and are slowly refilling the watermain. It may still take some time for residents to see their water come back on, and there may be reduced pressure for a while. We will provide further updates if anything changes.
NELSON - Nelson Tasman Emergency Management
Kia ora, we are aware of a map circulating social media which may be causing some distress amongst evacuated residents in the Port Hills/Moana/Tahunanui area.
The map is indicative of the approximate area for the Tahunanui Slump, which is a known hazard area and was highlighted due to risk profile.
Residents and owners of properties in this zone should expect a call from today regarding the assessment for their property.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INDICATIVE ZONE IN THIS IMAGE DOES NOT CONFIRM A RED PLACARD ASSESSMENT.
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NELSON TASMAN - Nelson Tasman Emergency Management
Reduce your travel
Traffic out there continues to pick up while road closures are still in place.
Where possible, please continue to limit non-essential travel, work from home where possible, carpool with workmates, take the bus, get a lift with your neighbour or dust off the activewear, pop your headphones in and get walking or biking.
Remember, emergency services and clean-up crews use the same routes as you; keeping them clear today will help teams to get them back to usual capacity at a faster rate.
Thanks for your patience and understanding.
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NELSON TASMAN
Donate to the Mayoral Relief Fund
23 Aug 2022, 12:00
Following the government contribution of $200,000 to Nelson Tasman Mayoral Relief Fund, the Fund is now able to accept donations from the public.
HOW TO DONATE
Any person or organisation wishing to donate to the Nelson-Tasman Mayoral Relief Fund may deposit funds into the Nelson City Council bank account:
03 0703 0325055 00
If making a donation please use the reference “Mayoral Relief Fund”.
Any donations will be eligible for a donation tax credit.
WESTPAC USERS
We've been informed those who bank with Westpac are being asked to select an NCC account in which to deposit.
If this occurs, please select the Debtors account. This will allow you to edit the first and third reference boxes, as shown below.
(Your name) | Debtors | relief fund
Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese said the emergency team working on the response have been overwhelmed by the offers of help by the public, and the Fund offers a straightforward way to channel that support.
“The generosity and caring spirit of Nelson Tasman has been in full display over the last few days and this Fund allows us to provide support for to access support elsewhere.”
“By donating to the Fund, we can ensure that people receive the help they really need at this difficult time.”
Tasman Mayor Tim King said the effects of the weather event would be felt well beyond the declared State of Emergency. With a long recovery period predicted, all contributions from the local community and those outside of the region would be greatly appreciated.
“The impact from this natural disaster has been wide ranging. We’ve seen the obvious damage caused by flooding and landslips so far – however, once the debris is cleared, a number of people will need ongoing support to bring their lives back to normal.”
“I encourage anyone in a position to do so – please donate what you can to the fund."
The Fund will be open to any resident, ratepayer, business owner and not-for-profit organisation in Nelson or Tasman regions that has suffered financial hardship as a result of the weather event that began on Tuesday 16 August 2022.
The Fund will provide assistance on a one-off basis for extraordinary circumstances where real need can be shown.
Further details about how to apply, including the application form, will be made available as soon as possible.
TASMAN
Boil water notice
23 Aug 2022, 09:00
Boil Water Notice for Redwood Valley, Eight Eight Valley and Upper Tākaka water scheme - 21 August 2022
Due to prolonged rainfall, we are advising a Boil Water Notice for residents on the Redwood Valley, Eighty Eight Valley and Upper Tākaka water schemes and asked that water is conserved to avoid drawing turbid water into their tanks.
The boil water notice will remain in place until the source water quality improves, this is weather dependent.
You are advised to boil all your drinking water for the following purposes:
- Drinking water
- Food preparation
- Mixing cold beverages
- Utensil washing and food preparation
- Brushing your teeth
- Pets
- Ice making
Updated information will be posted on the council website, Facebook page and Twitter.
Note: nearly all household filters provide no protection against bacterial contamination. If you have an under the sink carbon filter or cartridge filter, you still need to boil your water.
If you have a high quality cartridge filter followed by an Ultraviolet disinfection unit, which are well-maintained and supply water to your entire house, there is no need to boil your water.
For further information please call the Council on 03 543 8400.
Please pass this onto your neighbours, as we do not have contact information for everyone on the scheme and they may not use the internet.
Thank you for your co-operation.
What to do if a boil water notice is in place
We suggest that you treat your water in some way before drinking it. There are two options to make your water safe to drink:
- Boil all of the water that you drink. Do this just by bringing the water to a boil in your kettle or keep it at a rolling boil in a saucepan for 1 minute; or
- Hand chlorinate your storage tank with household bleach.
You can also choose to drink bottled water, although this is the most expensive option.
Note: nearly all household filters provide no protection against bacterial contamination. If you have an under the sink carbon filter or cartridge filter, you still need to boil your water.
If you have a high quality cartridge filter followed by an Ultraviolet disinfection unit which are well-maintained and supply water to your entire house, there is no need to boil your water.
NELSON
Water main break Nayland Rd Without Water
Properties in Nayland Rd are without water this morning due to two water main breaks overnight. At this stage, about 80 properties are affected from Aldinga Ave (southern end) to Songer St.
Crews are on site. Expect repairs to take up to four hours.
A water tanker is parked outside 4 Aldinga Ave for residents to get water.
If you know of someone who has mobility issues on Nayland Rd, please let us know so we can get water to them.
Please avoid the area if you can--delays are expected.
NELSON TASMAN
BUS UPDATES - Nelson Tasman Emergency Management
To help relieve congestion on our roads, we are making the Nelson - Richmond bus routes 1 and 2 FREE OF CHARGE for an initial period of 2 weeks beginning TOMORROW Wednesday 24 August.
The free fares apply only to the Nelson/Richmond routes 1 and 2. It will not apply to the late late bus.
Also, a reminder that ALL other N-Bus trips remain half-priced until 31 January 2023. More info here: https://buff.ly/3Kb4IXw
A shuttle service will continue to operate between Muritai Street in Tāhunanui and Stoke so that residents in Tāhunanui and Annesbrook have a viable public transport option. This service leaves from outside the Mobil Station on Muritai Street on the hour (7am – 6pm) and returns from Stoke on the half hour (7.30am – 6.30 pm).
The bus stop outside Nightingale Library Memorial is open.
The bus stops at Days Track and Richardson Street are closed.
***STATUS OF BUS ROUTES***
*Route 1 Bishopdale – Normal + FREE
*Route 2 Tāhunanui – Running at normal times over Bishopdale + FREE
*Tāhunanui Link temporary service – As timetabled and mapped (see map in comments)
*Route 3 Atawhai - REINSTATED. Will be only be operating hourly, leaving the city centre on the hour. Bus stop times will vary due to the temporary traffic management in place. Please check the TrackABus site for Route 3 updates: https://buff.ly/3pwb8XL
*Route 4 Brook – Turning around at Tantragee Road❕
*Route 5 Hospital – Normal
*Route 6 Washington Valley – Normal service minus Moana Ave, Bisley Ave, Tāhunanui Drive, Tosswill Road, Stansell Ave, Moana Ave.❕
*Route 7 Stoke Loops – Normal
*Route 8 Richmond Loops – Normal
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NELSON TASMAN
Media release: Nelson Tasman Emergency Management
23 August 2022
Supported re-entry process now underway for Nelson/ Tasman evacuees
Safely helping evacuated people back into their homes is a top priority of the emergency response and a coordinated re-entry process is now underway, Nelson Tasman Emergency Management Group Controller Neville Reilly says.
Evacuated properties are being inspected to ensure they are safe, and, from Tuesday, owners of inspected properties will be contacted by phone and advised of the status of their home and what that means for them.
“I want to reassure all those affected people in our communities that we recognise the impacts have been huge for you. We are taking this situation seriously and you haven’t been forgotten,” Reilly said.
“We are working as quickly as we can to get people home safely. Building inspectors are required to assess both flood damage and land instability, which is a complex task. It may be some days before detailed inspections are completed, depending on the weather.
“However, a formal process is now in place to support re-entry of evacuated families back into their homes, where it is safe to do so.
“Evacuated people, including people who have self-evacuated: Please make sure you register with Nelson City Council 03 546 0200, or at the Trafalgar Centre (Tuesday) or iSite in Millers Acre (from Wednesday), so we can contact you directly about your home.
“By registering as an evacuee, it means we can let you know once a decision has been made about the status of your property, following inspection.
“Please wait to hear to hear from us before returning home – if we haven’t checked homes properly, this could pose a very real safety risk for you and your family. It’s not worth it.
Thank you all for your patience, cooperation and resilience; we are working hard to get people home safely,” Reilly said.
How does the supported re-entry process work?
Once your home has been inspected by both Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and Council Building Inspectors, it will be assessed as either a RED, YELLOW, or WHITE placard property.
- Red placard properties have been assessed as having significant damage or land stability issues and should not be entered under any circumstances. Red placards will clarify whether the assessment has been made on the basis of the building being at risk of an external hazard, or due to serious building damage.
- Yellow placard properties have been assessed and can be entered temporarily only to secure or remove items; residents may or may not be able to stay overnight, this will be assessed and communicated on a case-by-case basis. Supervised entry by an authorised person may be required for some yellow placard properties. Please speak with Nelson City Council if you have any questions.
- White placard properties have been assessed and can be re-occupied with caution. White placard properties may have no placard, or a white dot on or around the entryway.
If residents find damage when they return to their properties or are unsure about what their property assessment means, then please call Nelson City Council on 03 546 0200 or Tasman District Council 03 543 8400.
Please note: Properties may be reinspected if there is a change in situation.
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UPDATE: 7:05AM TUE 23 AUG
SH60 between Onekaka and Takaka will be CLOSED during the week, the road will open intermittently, to light vehicles only, during the following hours:
• 8am-9am
• 12pm-1pm
• 3pm-4pm
• 6pm-7am.
the road remains closed for heavy vehicles. ^JPTASMAN
TASMAN
Moturoa/ Rabbit Island is open to pedestrians.
We are pleased to report that after an assessment of the area this morning, the front beach reserve of Moturoa/ Rabbit Island is open to pedestrians. However, due to deep surface water covering the roads it will remain closed to vehicles. A cordon will be placed at the end of Ken Beck Drive and cars can park at his location. This allows a short walk to the front beach.
TASMAN
Tasman libraries and Takata Service Centre Open
Following closures and changes to opening hours caused by the August weather event, Our Takaka, Richmond and Motueka Libraries are now open as usual from Monday 22 August.
The Takaka Service Centre is also open again. Thanks to our communities for your understanding during this period.
NELSON
CLEAN FILL DUMP SITES OPEN DAILY until further notice.
There are now TWO PLACES you can take household amounts of mud and clean fill (there is no charge for this service).
Both sites are open 10am until 6pm TODAY, and then 8am – 6pm DAILY THEREAFTER until further notice.
Our advice is to limit travel and stay off the roads stands, HOWEVER if you have substantial mud to clear then this service is available.
Q: Where are the dump sites?
A: The site is at the corner of Main Road Stoke and Saxton Road east. It's accessible off Saxton Road (the old Circus Set up location). Look for the VMS board on Main Road Stoke. The other is Atawhai Drive at the green field just slightly north of Miyazu Garden. *Please note* that access to the dump site is from SH6 (Queen Elizabeth II Drive) as Atawhai Drive is CLOSED from Founders Park.
NELSON
Reserves remain closed
Many reserves remain closed. Slopes remain unstable and significant movement is still occurring in some areas. Please respect closures.
The following reserves remain closed:
- Grampians Reserve
- Botanical Hill Reserve (incl. Centre of NZ)
- Sir Stanley Whitehead Reserve
- Tantragee Reserve Atmore Reserve Titoki Reserve
- Pipers Reserve
- Maitai River Walkway, upstream from Domett Street Bridge
- Brook Conservation Reserve
- Marsden Valley Reserve
- Roding Reserve
- ALL of Hira Forest (Ngāti Koata) remains CLOSED (Codgers, Sharlands, Fringed Hill)
- Waahi Taakaro Golf Course CLOSED for the foreseeable future
- All sports fields
The above closures also mean that the Coppermine Trail is closed.TASMAN
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TASMAN
Free dumping for flood damaged household materials
We are allowing free dumping of flood damaged material at our Resource Recovery Centres at Richmond, Mariri and Tākaka.
Residents will need to complete a declaration form with their details and produce some form of identification like a driver’s licence or utility bill.
This declaration says if their insurance pays out, we will recover costs from your insurers if you are insured.
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NELSON
Information on disposal of damaged small household items
To assist with cleaning up after the rain, NCC are placing skips around the Nelson City area to allow for the disposal of flood-damaged small household items.
Transfer stations around the region will also accept flood-damaged goods for free for a period of 2 weeks from today, Monday 22 August 2022. This is only for goods damaged during the weather event week 15 to 21 August.
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NELSON TASMAN
McKee Domain Camp Closed Until Further Notice
A large slip has compromised the electricity supply to the camp, situated at Ruby Bay, which powers the toilets and the sewerage system at the Camp. Those currently on site will be asked to vacate until we are able to resolve the issue.
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NELSON TASMAN
The state of Civil Defence Emergency in Nelson Tasman has been extended until 2.54 pm on Wednesday 31 August 2022, a further seven days from the original declaration.
This will enable the emergency efforts to continue to be well resourced with support from central government and all agencies.
TOP OF THE SOUTH
Keeping yourself and your loved ones safe is an ongoing priority as we begin the recovery period from this weather event.
Avoiding environmental health issues is one of the things to consider in the coming days and as part of this local iwi have issued the following media release which applies to the entire Top of the South.
Rāhui
Te Tauihu iwi have placed a rāhui across the entire northern coastline of Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui, as floodwaters continue to pose significant disruptions across the rohe.
The rāhui, which took effect at noon on Saturday, covers the area from Te Parinui o Whiti (the White Bluffs) in the east, west to Kahurangi Point, including Aorere and Tai Tapu. It covers all coastlines, river mouths, and floodwaters, and prevents the gathering of seafood and kai in these areas as well as swimming and entering the water.
The rāhui was implemented by the Iwi Emergency Management Rōpū, which works as part of the Nelson/Tasman Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), with the support of the eight mana whenua iwi of Te Tauihu. A rōpū of mana whenua iwi gathered at Tāhunanui for karakia to acknowledge the implementation of the rāhui.
Iwi Emergency Management Rōpū Tikanga Pou lead Barney Thomas said the rāhui would remain in place as long as te Taiao dictated.
“It has to be healthy and that could be some time off. It’s sad that we are here again, but that is Tāwhirimātea and what we must do as people of the land is work with that - work with what we are handed.”
Tasman/Nelson
Pigeon Post News
